I leave Cambodia feeling sad. I don’t feel sad to leave, but rather I am infused with a profound sadness from what I saw over the past ten days. I have much the same feeling as I did after living in Guatemala: the scars of recent history’s horrors are still bleeding through this country. And how could they not be?
Here are eight elements that will likely strike a tourist to Cambodia.
1. The intense and persistent begging. From dust-caked children hawking bracelets to wrinkled, stooped grandmothers, to landmine victims who pull the stumps of their bodies along the ground with their one arm, wherever you sit they will find you: on the beach, inside a restaurant, walking around the street, waiting for a bus… Their eyes are haunting, and even when you shake your head four, five, six times, they will stay there, pushing their wares or hands further in front of your plate of food. The kids and younger women will sometimes sass you, for example, the lady who insulted my scruffy leg hair to get me to buy her threading pluck service. The older beggars and landmine victims will just stay there and moan. It is painful.
2. An emotional barrier between tourists and Cambodians that takes real work to surmount. 
Because of the gaping socioeconomic disparity and of the contrasting histories, there are layers of mistrust between tourists and Cambodians. The tourist, perhaps, thinks that anyone who talks with him is trying to sell something or beg for money, and often fears being mistaken for a “sex-pat”. The Cambodian, perhaps, sees the tourist as taking advantage of his country’s resources and services, and cruelly flaunting first world wealth. Because of the lack of a strong upper-middle class in Cambodia, I found this tourist-local divide worlds more acute than I ever saw in Latin America.
The first Cambodian I connected with was Sopheak, the tuk-tuk driver I hired to take me around Angkor Wat for three days. We were kind and caring to each other and had some nice talks. However, despite my desire to engage him in discussions about what he experienced in the last forty years, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. There was something in his face that suggested he was trying very hard to forget, and you have to honor that.
Connections can happen, though. Camilo, a traveler from Colombia, spent a week living in the rural hut of a Cambodian boy he met on the street, and both he and the village had a wonderful exchange. Other foreigners who spend large chunks of time working or studying in Cambodia also form good bonds, but many do report that the intercultural fence remains high and strong.
3. Painful visuals. In Phnom Penh, especially, soot and grime coat the surfaces. The colors of the tattered awnings are faded and dull. The air is thick with exhaust, and human misery lurks behind every corner. Everywhere in Cambodia, tuk-tuk and moto drivers will chase you, pushing a ride. Many travelers remarked they felt bombarded by these sensory stimulations and demands. Ultimately, however, it’s far easier to be the rich tourist constantly saying “no” than the tuk-tuk driver who has to fight for his one dollar fare day in and day out, isn’t it.
4. The whole family on one moped, with four giant bags. One of the most difficult visuals for me to accept was the tiny babies perched on top of speeding mopeds. This is so dangerous, it is unbelievable. My bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh actually hit a moped, and didn’t even stop to see if the driver survived. A friend’s bus passed three road accidents, one with a casualty.
And yet, when I pitched a fit and refused to ride a moped six kilometers to the bus station, all the Cambodians around me started uproariously laughing. They don’t have the luxury to make such a demand! Cars cost.
On a side note, there is a creepy handful of giant black Lexus SUVs ($100,000 cars) prowling Phnom Penh’s streets. Word is that they’re paid for through government corruption…
5. Love of Angkor Wat. The temple’s face and name graces the beer, the hotels, the restaurant names, the t-shirts– everything. What a grand history! And yet, how many countries have one sole symbol?
6. A growing tourist industry. Though not as packed as Thailand by far, Cambodia boasts its growing share of tourists from around the world. The tourist infrastructure in the major locations (Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville) is quite good, boasting numerous economical and quality bus, hotel, and tour options. That said, we still spotted a sewage drain running into the sea we were all swimming in…
7. The music videos played on long distances buses are– wow. Apparently the hot sexy look for men is a chubby face with long, wispy bangs combed to the side, and a mini-mullet of long hair in back. Apparently the plot of every single music video is: Show field of grass; show man walking after beautiful woman in field of grass and watch her reject him; show either: a) man winning woman and embracing in field of grass, or, b) man getting beaten up by woman’s other lover in field of grass, then getting rained on. I kept thinking of Beyonce’s “Big Ego” video in contrast and cracking up.
8. And now for some positives! Perhaps you can tell, my experience in Cambodia was excellent but also… intense. On some happy notes, Cambodian smiles positively glow, Cambodian food is mm mm yum, Cambodian entreprenerial spirit evident in the street is energizing, and Cambodia has come so, so, so far in re-building after the horror it lived through. It’s an ever-evolving country, and it will be fascinating to see what the next few years will bring.
Last Updated on
Peak Cambodia says
Cambodia’s Tourism growing thanks to Chinese and Thai tourists.
Lillie says
Interesting! Thanks for this update.
Courtney Jones says
I enjoyed Cambodia as well. I find it really hard to explain Phnom Penh – it’s such a fascinating place with so much history, but so much poverty as well.
Lillie says
Indeed, it’s so hard to explain.
Danielle says
I really liked this article about Cambodia because people can compare this country to the United States and understand that we should not take anything for granted. A big population of Cambodia is living in poverty and it can be sad to read news like this but people, especially children get to see other people living and think to themselves how fortunate they are to have a nice life. Just by reading this article we can learn that we should not waste many things that we have because others don’t have the stuff they want let alone the stuff they need.
Amber R. says
I can’t believe that in Cambodia they let young children ride in a dangerous moped. I would’ve been terrified! I hope that in the future there won’t be anymore car accidents because it could cost a young child’s life.
Vivian Lu says
It’s amazing how people are sad and poor in Cambodia, but they still have bright smiles on their faces. I hope that in the future, there won’t be anymore road accidents.
Holly E. says
Hi Mrs. Marshall it’s Holly! I really love all of the pictures and I love how you numbered the things that happened and then wrote a brief description of them. I also love how you just present your articles. I’ll see you in class tomorrow. Keep up the amazing work. :)
Holly E. says
Although it’s sad, you present it in an amazing way as well
Charlotte says
Hi Lillie,
Thanks for sharing your experiences in Cambodia. I am heading there in September and am looking forward to experiencing it for myself.
Lillie says
Have a wonderful time and keep us posted!
Evan says
I have been there also and did see all of the things you have listed…only…I felt that on talking with all the guides and people for the month that I was there that even though it appears sad and dirty and poor…they are in a better place now then then have been in decades. so surprisingly they are improving and I took that as more of a positive.
don’t get me wrong I still have visions of horror in my mind from the poverty and disregard to their surroundings…but I am so grateful I was able to experience this and share with my people the resilience and happiness all Cambodians seem to exhume even though very few of their living generations have ever really lived in peace.
Lillie says
Well said.
Wilson Samuel says
I love it the way you describe, a real hard core reality.. its really sad..
Thank You for sharing!
Lillie says
Thank you for reading!
Adam Pervez says
Great article! I am in the process of planning Vietnam/Cambodia now and I love how you compared it to Latin America, the place I just came from. I’ve hooked up with an organization to teach a one-week MBA to entrepreneurial villagers near Siam Reap. Let’s see if it happens, but I’m looking forward to visiting! Thanks for sharing!
Lillie says
Thank YOU for reading and commenting! :) Have a wonderful time in Cambodia (a one-week MBA?!!?!) and please report back on how it goes!
Triston Xie says
I think it is very sad that people in Cambodia has to beg for money. I also found it disturbing that everyone is riding in motorcycles and some people are riding in fancy cars.
Hai says
i am feeling sad after reading the article.
Fiona Phie says
So much misery. :(
shirley leung says
It’s sad how people have to insult others to get money. Those “speeding mopeds” look really popular in Cambodia. Everyone is riding one!
Amber Garcia says
I found it astonishing that there was such a high poverty rate in Cambodia because I thought Massachusett’s povery rate was extremely high, I guess not. Although it does seem that Cambodia is really poor, I would have liked if the article contained more positive things about their culture.
Malaysia S. says
It’s really sad that people have to beg and can’t take no for an answer because they are that desperate and poor.
Rayshawn Miller says
I have a friend who is from Cambodia he told me it is a very nice place i would like to visit there once in my life.
charmine says
Oh,my! We have lots of beggars here too,but our country is rich.Lots of well educated people with good jobs…but yes,we’ve got beggars out on the street.And yes,here too folks take whole families on their bikes.I’m surprised at that bus driver who knocked up a moped rider and drove on…sometimes this happens here too.
Abi says
Hm…a very interesting post. I visited Cambodia nearly 10 years ago and had heard that a lot had changed. Reading this post, however, has made me think that perhaps it hasn’t after all…
Mei Chin says
I had been to the country. When I got to the land, I felt sad by many children who begged in the travling sites. After knowing the history of the country, I realized most people in the coundry who suffered in the past. But they were very friendly and gave me laughing faces. It was a special experience for me.
Imported Blogger Comments says
e.jenkins.donahue said…
Hi Lillie-
I came across your blog when I accessed Aaron’s.
What an adventure- I will stay tuned. Glad to hear you are exploring.
Jack, Aaron’s step-father, saw South Viet Nam from a Marine base as a private. He has shared pictures and stories similar to yours.
I will follow your blog as you move on.
Good luck, Peace, Love and Safe travels
Betty Jenkins-Donahue (Aaron Pratt’s Mom)
October 1, 2009 10:19 PM
Luddy Sr. said…
Great recap and photos.
Sometimes checking the ‘interesting’ box doesn’t feel sufficient.
December 7, 2009 7:44 AM